I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. —Psalm 130:5
It is hard to believe even when…
in many ways we are disenfranchised by the world.
It is hard to believe even when… you are bombarded by all the things of this world – money, power, big houses, fancy cars, nice clothes, expensive perfumes and, yes, even elaborate Christmas gifts. We often think that these “things” are what we need to make life full and complete.
It is hard to believe even when… everywhere you look the world is faced with natural disasters, climate changes, famine, lack of medical care, and yes, a world-wide pandemic.
It is hard to believe even when… social injustice looms large, prejudice of color, status, sexual identity, socioeconomic disparity, not only here, but all around the world.
It is hard to believe even when… you suffer a life-changing loss. Loss of employment, loss of home, loss of health, loss of independence, loss of a loved one, and now the loss of even gathering with one another without fear.
All of us, yes all of us, struggle to believe at one time or another during our lives. We all face situations when it is difficult, yes, even “hard” to be a faithful Christian. However, when we truly believe in the birth of Jesus Christ, suddenly it is so much easier to believe. A god who would humble himself and come to live as we do makes it easy to believe even when …
We often feel overwhelmed by expectations, disasters, and the injustice around us. When we struggle to believe, remind us that you have a plan and a hope for us that is good. Remind us that you are in control. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Susan Johnston
Read other Advent 2020 Devotionals or download the book as a PDF.